Adjustable Toe Protector

ABSTRACT

An adjustable toe protector is disclosed and is formed from a loop of a tubular material with a pile layer on the inside where the length of the loop is adjustable, and pads the top the toes with a double thickness of the material so that shoe pressure straightens the toe out while a crest pad formed by a resilient insert into the tubular material beneath the toe lifts the toes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of U.S.Provisional Patent Application 61/843,273, filed Jul. 5, 2013, thecontent of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This invention relates to an apparatus arranged to prevent irritation ofdeformed toes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One arrangement of this type is shown in US Application 2013/0079694published Mar. 28, 2013 by Aquino. Another similar arrangement which isnot a subject of a patent application is available on the market byPedifix of Brewster N.Y.

These and other commercially available toe crest or buttress pads ofthis type do not address irritation of the shoe against the top of thedeformed toes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus forapplication to the toes of a patient comprising:

a band comprising a loop having a length to wrap around a plurality ofthe toes of the patient;

the loop defining a top portion extending across the top of the toes anda bottom portion to extend underneath the toes;

the loop having two connecting portions one at each end each joining thetop portion so as to extend between two toes;

the band having a first end and a second end and comprising an elongatetubular member with a hollow interior;

where the first end is inserted into the hollow interior of the secondend and emerges through a hole adjacent the second end to define theloop with the first end defining a tail which can be pulled to tightenthe loop.

Preferably the tubular member is formed of a fleece material with a pilelayer in an inner surface.

Preferably the pile layer is at least partly removed at said connectingportions so that the connecting portions are thinner than the top andbottom portions.

Preferably a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollowinterior at least at the bottom portion.

Preferably a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollowinterior only at the bottom portion.

Preferably the hole is defined by a slit in the tubular material.

Preferably the top portion is defined by a first end portion at thefirst end lying inside a second end portion at the second end so thatthe first and second end portions overlap to define a thicker part ofthe loop at the top portion.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided anapparatus for application to the toes of a patient comprising:

a band comprising a loop having a length to wrap around a plurality ofthe toes of the patient;

the loop defining a top portion extending across the top of the toes anda bottom portion to extend underneath the toes;

the loop having two connecting portions one at each end each joining thetop portion so as to extend between two toes;

the band comprising an elongate tubular member with a hollow interior;

wherein the tubular member is formed of a fleece material with a pilelayer on an inner surface.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided anapparatus for application to the toes of a patient comprising a bandcomprising a loop having a length to wrap around a plurality of the toesof the patient;

the loop defining a top portion extending across the top of the toes anda bottom portion to extend underneath the toes;

the loop having two connecting portions one at each end each joining thetop portion so as to extend between two toes;

the band comprising an elongate tubular member with a hollow interior;

wherein the top portion is defined by a first end portion at the firstend lying inside a second end portion at the second end so that thefirst and second end portions overlap to define a thicker part of theloop at the top portion.

This modified toe buttress pad of the present invention is adjustableand pads the top the toes so that shoe pressure straightens the toe outwhile crest pad beneath the toe works the same as the other devicescurrently on the market.

As stated above, prevents irritation of deformed toes. The inventionclaimed here solves this problem.

Provides padding and buttressing of deformed toe to prevent irritationor callus formation over the joint or at the tip of the toe.

No padding or “buttressing” of the top of the toe exists in the devicesused most commonly today

This modified toe buttress pad is adjustable, and pads the top the toesso that shoe pressure straightens the toe out while crest pad beneaththe toe works the same as other devices currently on the market.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the rectangular pad of fleece material which isformed into the pad according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the components of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pad of FIG. 2 whenfolded into the required shape.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The pad of the present invention is formed from a rectangular sheetshown in FIG. 1 of a man-made fleece material commonly known as “sherpafleece”. The rectangular sheet 1 is sewn along adjacent side edges 1A, 1B to form a seam 2 which shapes the sheet into a tubular configurationshown in FIG. 2. A foam pad 3 is inserted into the tubularized sherpafleece. The fleece has an outer carrying layer 4 and an inner fleece orpile layer 5.

The apparatus thus provides a loop 20 wrapped around the toes with atail 21 exposed at one end of the loop. The loop has a length to wraparound a plurality of the toes of the patient. The loop defines a topportion 22 extending across the top of the toes and a bottom portion 23to extend underneath the toes with two connecting portions 24, 25 one ateach end each joining the top portion so as to extend between two toes.The band has a first end and 7 a second end 8 and comprises an elongatetubular member with a hollow interior. As shown in FIG. 6, the first end7 is inserted into the hollow interior of the second end 8 and emergesthrough a hole 6 adjacent the second end to define the loop 20 with thefirst end 7 defining the tail 21 which can be pulled to tighten theloop.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pile layer 5 is at least partly removed at theconnecting portions 24, 25 so that the connecting portions are thinnerthan the top and bottom portions. A resilient padding member 3 isinserted into the hollow interior at least and preferably only at thebottom portion to provide the support for

In this construction the top portion 22 is defined by a first endportion 26 at the first end 7 lying inside a second end portion 27 atthe second end 8 so that the first and second end portions overlap todefine a thicker part of the loop at the top portion.

The tube so formed and shown in Figures is folded and inserted intoitself and pulled through a slit 6 made in the tube so that the end 7 iswrapped around to the end 8 of the tube and inserted into the end 8until the end 7 is pulled out of the slit 6. This provides an end piece7A which projects out of the slit 6 so as to be exposed which allows thedevice to be tensioned for fit and comfort by pulling the end 7A toincrease or decrease the size of the loop encircling the toes of thewearer.

The fleece material creates a padding of the toes dorsally just behindthe first joint in the toe to prevent the shoe from rubbing on the bentjoint. This pushes down on the toe and helps to straighten the joint oftoes that are flexibly contracted. The padding within the tube fills thespace under the toes to push the end of the upward thereby straighteningthe flexible toe or holding the rigidly deformed toe away from theweight-bearing surface. The method of folding and inserting the fleecein to itself and leaving a long tail allows the device to be adjusted toa snug fit about the toes that are encircled. This method is what isunique to this buttress pad.

The fleece is cut into a rectangular shape of the desired dimensions.The fleece is removed in two areas to thin the material that willultimately lie between the toes. The material is then sewn along onelong side to create a tube. The material is then inverted so that thewooly portion or pile layer is inside the tube and the faux suedematerial is outside. A foam pad is then drawn into the tube to theappropriate position. Near one end of the tubular material a slit 6 iscut about half way through the tube. A grasping tool is then introducedinto the slit and exits the tube at the end closest to the slit. Theother end of the tube is grasped with the same tool and then drawn intothe opposite end and out the slit opening.

Instructions on how to tighten or loosen the device drawn onto thematerial are provided where the person encircles the deformed or painfultoes in the circle formed by the device and pulls on the loose end totighten it to comfort

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein abovedescribed, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same madewithin the spirit and scope of the claims without department from suchspirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in theaccompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only andnot in a limiting sense.

1. Apparatus for application to the toes of a patient comprising: a band comprising a loop having a length to wrap around a plurality of the toes of the patient; the loop defining a top portion extending across the top of the toes and a bottom portion to extend underneath the toes; the loop having two connecting portions one at each end each joining the top portion so as to extend between two toes; the band having a first end and a second end and comprising an elongate tubular member with a hollow interior; where the first end is inserted into the hollow interior of the second end and emerges through a hole adjacent the second end to define the loop with the first end defining a tail which can be pulled to tighten the loop.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tubular member is formed of a fleece material with a pile layer on an inner surface.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the pile layer is at least partly removed at said connecting portions so that the connecting portions are thinner than the top and bottom portions.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollow interior at least at the bottom portion.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollow interior only at the bottom portion.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the hole is defined by a slit in the tubular material.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the top portion is defined by a first end portion at the first end lying inside a second end portion at the second end so that the first and second end portions overlap to define a thicker part of the loop at the top portion.
 8. Apparatus for application to the toes of a patient comprising: a band comprising a loop having a length to wrap around a plurality of the toes of the patient; the loop defining a top portion extending across the top of the toes and a bottom portion to extend underneath the toes; the loop having two connecting portions one at each end each joining the top portion so as to extend between two toes; the band comprising an elongate tubular member with a hollow interior; wherein the tubular member is formed of a fleece material with a pile layer on an inner surface.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the pile layer is at least partly removed at said connecting portions so that the connecting portions are thinner than the top and bottom portions.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollow interior at least at the bottom portion.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollow interior only at the bottom portion.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the hole is defined by a slit in the tubular material.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the top portion is defined by a first end portion at the first end lying inside a second end portion at the second end so that the first and second end portions overlap to define a thicker part of the loop at the top portion.
 14. Apparatus for application to the toes of a patient comprising: a band comprising a loop having a length to wrap around a plurality of the toes of the patient; the loop defining a top portion extending across the top of the toes and a bottom portion to extend underneath the toes; the loop having two connecting portions one at each end each joining the top portion so as to extend between two toes; the band comprising an elongate tubular member with a hollow interior; wherein the top portion is defined by a first end portion at the first end lying inside a second end portion at the second end so that the first and second end portions overlap to define a thicker part of the loop at the top portion.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the tubular member is formed of a fleece material with a pile layer on an inner surface.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the pile layer is at least partly removed at said connecting portions so that the connecting portions are thinner than the top and bottom portions.
 17. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollow interior at least at the bottom portion.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein a resilient padding member is inserted into the hollow interior only at the bottom portion.
 19. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the hole is defined by a slit in the tubular material. 